The Hot Priest Renaissance Is Real—and Josh O’Connor Is Proof
Are hot priests… a thing? It certainly looks that way. And with Josh O’Connor stepping into a collar in the new Knives Out film Wake Up Dead Man, the gays—and honestly, the internet at large—have declared the trend officially canon.
To be fair, O’Connor is not technically playing a “hot priest” in the plot. But it’s Josh O’Connor. He could play a disgruntled barista or a medieval chimney sweep and somehow still give off “confess your sins, but make it flirty.” Thus: hot priest.
And in an interview with Gayety, O’Connor didn’t shy away from the humor of it all—especially since he’s now acting opposite Andrew Scott, the man who redefined the term “hot priest” for an entire generation of queer people in Fleabag Season 2. O’Connor knows exactly the legacy he’s stepping into… or slipping into, collar first.
Josh O’Connor: Former Altar Boy, Future Internet Crush
Talking about how surreal it feels to now play a man of the cloth, O’Connor shared a delightfully chaotic childhood memory:
“I grew up in Irish Catholic tradition… I was an altar boy when I was eight years old and I was kicked off for smiling too much.”
Honestly? Relatable. If smiling too much in church is a sin, half of queer Twitter would’ve been excommunicated by now.
He went on to talk about his current spiritual worldview, saying:
“I feel agnostic enough that I can believe in something. And I dunno what that is… humanity or trees and plants. But yeah, I believe something.”
So he’s handsome, introspective, and existential? Gorgeous. Priestly. We approve.
Meanwhile in Rome: The Hot Priest Pipeline Goes International
While Hollywood gives us its latest collar-wearing heartthrob, the real world is doing its own thing—and apparently its thing is… hot priests on a calendar.
Yes, the Calendario Romano 2026 exists. No, we are not making this up. And yes, it’s been around since the early 2000s—not that the Vatican brags about it, but they certainly don’t seem to mind if tourists take a copy home as a souvenir-slash-spiritual awakening.
Every year, Rome releases this calendar filled with photogenic priests, and a quick Google search confirms that these men are indeed actual priests. According to its website (because this calendar has a website), it is:
“An information tool aimed at the tourist public… giving general information on the Vatican City.”
Information? Sure. Inspiration? Definitely. Temptation? We plead the Fifth.
A Real-Life Story of Faith and Queer Joy
On a more heartfelt note, we also have some genuinely uplifting news that sits right at the intersection of queerness and faith.
Good Morning America anchor Gio Benitez recently confirmed in a Catholic parish—yes, confirmed—as an openly gay man, with his husband Tommy DiDario proudly standing beside him as his sponsor. If that’s not modern Catholic iconography, what is?
The ceremony took place at St. Paul the Apostle Church in Manhattan, home to the wonderfully LGBTQ+-affirming ministry Out at St. Paul. Benitez shared the moment on Instagram, describing it as an emotional, long-awaited expression of his faith.
He explained that his journey was influenced by the late Pope Francis and Fr. James Martin, SJ, whose inclusive message finally made him feel seen within his own church.
Benitez wrote:
“It was the first time I had seen a Catholic priest speaking in such a beautiful way about LGBTQ people.”
His confirmation marks a milestone that started with his baptism at 15 and continued through years of questioning, exploring, and ultimately accepting that God’s love—and community—could include him, too.
So Are Hot Priests “In” Now?
With Josh O’Connor channeling pious smolder, Andrew Scott still reigning as the one true hot priest, Rome publishing thirst traps for tourists, and real-life stories like Gio Benitez finding full communion while being proudly and openly gay… maybe yes.
Maybe hot priests are having a moment.
Or maybe society is finally ready to see faith, humor, queerness, and genuine humanity coexist—even in a collar.
Either way… forgive us father, but we’re absolutely here for it.
HERE is a link to the calendars…You know, just in case you want to be blessed.
REFERENCE: Gayety
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